Changing my leaking fork seal(s) on the KTM this weekend, learned a few things worth passing on:
1) Undoing the fork top nut (rebound adjuster) whilst still in the yokes can prove difficult, with a risk of rounding off the flats on the adjuster housing. They are very tight to undo as fitted to the bike:
My solution was to slacken off both the top and bottom yoke pinch bolts, slide the forks up about 10mm then tighten the lower yokes pinch bolts only. This relieves the grip on the fork tube threads, allowing the fork top nut to undo with only minimal force without risk of wrecking the flats.
2) Undoing the bottom nut (compression adjuster) with forks inverted in the vice using a 19mm double-hex socket (with breaker bar) runs the risk of rounding off the flats due to the stiction of the threads, dirt etc. Be sure to use a single-hex 19mm socket, its still bloody tight but comes undone with force and a whip cracking noise. Mount the front axle through the fork lower and grip in a vice to hold the fork lower slider, you may also need to hold the cartridge with a rag to undo the bottom nut threads and remove the cartridge, otherwise it just keeps spinning.
I'm fitting some aftermarket "all balls" oil seals tomorrow with double lip and dust seals to improve sealing over the stock OEM items. If I experience any other pearls of wisdom on assembly I'll pass the info on.
1) Undoing the fork top nut (rebound adjuster) whilst still in the yokes can prove difficult, with a risk of rounding off the flats on the adjuster housing. They are very tight to undo as fitted to the bike:
My solution was to slacken off both the top and bottom yoke pinch bolts, slide the forks up about 10mm then tighten the lower yokes pinch bolts only. This relieves the grip on the fork tube threads, allowing the fork top nut to undo with only minimal force without risk of wrecking the flats.
2) Undoing the bottom nut (compression adjuster) with forks inverted in the vice using a 19mm double-hex socket (with breaker bar) runs the risk of rounding off the flats due to the stiction of the threads, dirt etc. Be sure to use a single-hex 19mm socket, its still bloody tight but comes undone with force and a whip cracking noise. Mount the front axle through the fork lower and grip in a vice to hold the fork lower slider, you may also need to hold the cartridge with a rag to undo the bottom nut threads and remove the cartridge, otherwise it just keeps spinning.
I'm fitting some aftermarket "all balls" oil seals tomorrow with double lip and dust seals to improve sealing over the stock OEM items. If I experience any other pearls of wisdom on assembly I'll pass the info on.